Published • loading... • Updated
9 spellers advance to the Scripps National Spelling Bee finals. Here's where they're from.
The winner will receive $52,500 in cash, reference works and a custom trophy as the field narrows from 247 to nine finalists.
- On Wednesday, nine spellers advanced to Thursday's finals of the 2026 Scripps National Spelling Bee after completing semifinal rounds at the historic DAR Constitution Hall in Washington, D.C.
- Starting Tuesday with 247 spellers, the competition required contestants to navigate spelling and vocabulary challenges designed to test word meanings and orthography rather than simple memorization.
- Finalists advancing to the last round include Oliver Halkett, Zwe Spacetime, Kushi Gottimukkala, Avishka Dudala, Aiden Meng, Shrey Parikh, Sarv Dharavane, Ishaan Gupta, and Logan Bailey from across the country.
- Finals air Thursday on ION from 8 to 10 p.m., with the winner receiving $52,500 in cash, a custom trophy, and $1,000 in flight credits from Delta Air Lines.
- This year's event marks the first time the competition has taken place at the historic 1929 Constitution Hall, where millions of annual participants compete for the national title.
Insights by Ground AI
Podcasts & Opinions
33 Articles
33 Articles
A North Carolina teen is one of 9 finalists at the Scripps National Spelling Bee this week
The best young spellers in the English language are competing at the Scripps National Spelling Bee this week, continuing a more than century-old tradition. The three-day competition began Tuesday and concludes Thursday night. The first bee was held in 1925, when the Louisville Courier-Journal invited other newspapers to host spelling bees and send their champions to Washington. After a long run at a convention center in suburban Maryland, the be…
Coverage Details
Total News Sources33
Leaning Left7Leaning Right0Center25Last UpdatedBias Distribution78% Center
Bias Distribution
- 78% of the sources are Center
78% Center
L 22%
C 78%
Factuality
To view factuality data please Upgrade to Premium
